THE DEFINING DRAMA

When the flitters disappear, the dulness speaks. Unmoving shapes bulk large, the gross facts of misused life appear as darkening ditches on the dull landscape, and the despised light of Christ will soon summon a world in disorder to the eternal assizes of truth and just judgment. He is coming and the dawn strikes the coming darkness as a teacher's red pen strikes out error (Revelation 1:7).

Abstracted, removed from this world, as the night comes, will be the church of Christ: not elaborate instititutionalisations of unbelief, not fancy forms without the power of God, but living persons, in whom Christ dwells by faith. These are those for whom heaven is the natural habitat; for they are citizens of it already (Philippians 3:20-21, Colossians 1:27, Romans 8:16, I John 3:1-3). When thick darkness then follows their departure from this reddening globe, and with them Christ returns (Revelation 19:8134, Zechariah 14:5, I Thess. 3:13), denizens will experience the sudden brilliance to the full, as the day of the Lord looms, and the dawn breaks suddenly into day. His return to the world which crucified Him is seen in Revelation 19, Matthew 24:30-51, Daniel 2, Isaiah 59, Psalm 2, 110, Titus 2:13, I Thessalonians 3:13, Colossians 3:4, Hebrews 9:28, II Timothy 1:8-10, Matthew 25:1-10, 31ff.. It will be seen in this world!

As we move, then, into the twilight before Christ comes, first for (I Thessalonians 4) and then with His people (I Thess. 3:13), there is news which the Christian can relish as the scene moves nearer to the coming Christ. Events serve as an index to His nearing approach (Luke 21:28).

When this concerns Israel, it will become supplement to the volume of news on that prodigious event and performance of the ancient people, who have returned to their land, wrought the promised victories, experienced the promised wars, all according to the word of God: yes and regained Jerusalem also as predicted (Luke 21:24). That volume, published earlier in 2003, was entitled "Israel Blows the Trumpet that Yet it does not Hear!" A sign it is, and a testimony, but as a nation it does not hear what its trumpet is declaring!

Soon scheduled is its rather large-scale national awakening (Zechariah 12:10), and events will follow like the descent of the bob-sleds sown their icy shutes. There is in what is to come, some parallel with them, in their Winter Olympics, when there is the fast, even accelerated start, as the four-man team rushes at the outset, before climbing in for their descent. For this, however, which is not a game, the start is unhallowed history, now thrust forward by the mighty rush of mounting madness that stirs in the heart of the world as it gathers momentum for its climax of descent into the judgment to come (Revelation 19-20, Matthew 25:31-38).

Christians are "looking and hastening for the coming of the day of God" ( II Peter 3:12), as students await their coming holidays, with eager anticipation (Hebrews 9:28), there being no substitute for the ultimate love of their hearts (John 21:5-19, Philippians 1:20-21, 3:20-21, Deuteronomy 6:5); but while they remain, their hearts glow (Isaiah 64:5, John 15:21-23, I Peter 1:4-8) and they act to reflect His light and its suffusing beauty, which the world now needs (Philippians 2:15), desperately, before it delivers judgment according to truth (Romans 2) on that which has wilfully refused it (John 3:19,36).

1. Radiotelescope in Physics,
Terrestrial Microscope in Israel,
and Spiritual Scope in the Word of God.

The Australian, August 11, The Advertiser, August 13, ABC News Radio August 14, 2003

THE DEFINING DRAMA : ISRAEL

The Irresolvable Mutiny and the Irresistible Truth

News 283

The Australian, August 25, 2003